Bacon apckage



J. M. TlNDALL BACON PACKAGE Aug. 28, 1962 lNl/ENTOR' K @W ynQW, ("72%, 2

ATTORNEYS.

3,051,584 BACON PACKAGE John M. Tindall, 522 Greenleaf, Wilmette, 111. Filed Aug. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 833,280 Claims. (Cl. 99-174) This invention relates to a package for sliced food products, and more specifically, to a compact package pgrticularly suited for the storing and dispensing of bacon s ces.

As is well known, conventional packages of shingle stacked bacon present a number .of problems for the consumer such as for example the difliculties ordinarily encountered in separating cold strips without mutilating them and the problems of rescaling the package after they have been initially opened in order to preserve flavor and prevent inter-mingling of flavors between the bacon and other foods stored in the same refrigerator cabinet. In addition, the shingle packages, because of their irregular contour and floppy character are diflicult to handle and store for both the seller and the consumer and, when offered for sale in conventional self-service meat counters where they may be handled and inspected by shoppers, such packages often become ragged and lose their freshlypackaged appearance.

Accordingly, it is an object to provide a package for sliced food products which overcomes the aforementioned defects and disadvantages of present packages. Another object is to provide a compact rectangular package for sliced food products which may be stacked upon similar packages and other articles and which is well suited for handling and storing both in the home and at market. Another object is to provide a package from which a selected number of food slices may be removed one by one without destroying the container itself and without exposing the slices remaining therein. A still further object is to provide a bacon package in which all of the slices are separated from each other by a nonporous grease-resisting strip or web, thereby facilitating separation and removal of the bacon slices and reducing the possibilities of flavor loss and spoilage during storage.

Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a sealed package embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the package in .open condition showing removal of a bacon slice therefrom; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral generally designates a food package comprising a container or box 11 having a sliced food product 12 therein. Since the package is particularly adapted for use in the storing and dispensing of bacon slices, such slices have been shown in the drawings and will be referred to in the following specification. However, it is to be understood that the invention may also be used in connection with other sliced food products such as sliced sausage, cheese, etc.

As shown in the drawings, the container 11 is generally rectangular in shape, having rectangular top, bottom, side and end walls 13-16, respectively. In addition, the container is provided with a cover flap 17 which may comprise an upper extension of one of the end walls 16 and which is adapted to cover a centrally disposed transverse slit or opening 18 in the top wall when the container is sealed. As shown in FIGURE 2, the free end of the cover flap may be reduced or tapered to facilitate insertion of that free end portion into top opening 18.

The container may be formed from any suitable material which is both sturdy and flexible. While cardboard 3,5i,5%4 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 I 2 or heavy paperboard have been found particularly suitable, it is to be understood that other materials may be used and that, if desired, the container may be formed from suitable plastic materials such as polyethylene, poly. styrene, etc.

Within the container is a stack of bacon slices 12 interleaved with portions of an elongated narrow strip or web "19 so that each of the bacon slices is separated from adjacent slices in the stack. The strip 19 may be formed from glassine paper or any other non-porous sheet material which is flexible, tough and grease-resistant. Paper coated with wax or other impervious release agents may be used. It is also to be understood that the web may, if desired be formed from flexible plastic materials, such as polyethylene, reconstituted cellulose, vinylidene chloride or the like. If desired, the undersurface of each superimposed portion of the strip may be coated with wax or any suitable release film so that there will be no tendency for the slices of the bacon to adhere to the undersurface .of the strip 19 as it is withdrawn from the container.

Referring to 'FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the flexible non-porous strip 19 is folded back and forth upon itself to form a series of pockets or pleats extending longitudinally of the package. The bacon slice-s are stacked in vertical alignment with each slice disposed in and extending longitudinally of one of the pockets or pleats.

referably, the side pdges of the strip extend beyond the lateral edges of the bacon slices and engage or are disposed in close relation with the inner surfaces of side walls 15. Therefore, the nonporous strip 19 serves to protect the slices and prevent flavor loss, as well as providing means for extracting the slices from the container.

Vertically disposed along the opposing inner surfaces of end walls is are a pair of retarding elements 20 comprising strips of grease-resistant paper or other suitable material folded to provide a vertical series of spaced inwardly and downwardly inclined projections 21. The vertical spacing between the projections corresponds with the interleaved slices of bacon within the container, the projections'bearing downwardly against the folded end portions or" the strip or web 19 so as to restrain premature release and upward movement of the bacon slices. The retarder elements 2.0 may be adhesively secured to the inner end surface of the container or may be attached thereto by any other appropriate means.

Preferably, at least one side wall 15 of the container is provided with an opening 22 through which the lean edges of the stacked bacon slices are visible. A sheet of cellophane 23 or other transparent sheet material is secured to the inner surface of the side wall-about opening 22 so that the slices exposed for viewing through the opening are nevertheless sealed within the container. In the illustration given, the opening is shown as being rectangular in shape although it is to be understood that openings of various shapes and sizes may be provided depending upon the preference of the manufacturer or packer.

The package may be marketed in the sealed condition illustrated in FIGURE 1. If desired, a short section of sealing tape may be placed over opening 18 to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of coverflap 17 from that opening. Because of the sturdy rectangular nature of the package, it is well adapted for sale in self-service food counters. The container may be handled and inspected by shoppers without losing its fresh appearance and, for the same reason, is well adapted to withstand repeated handling in the home as it is removed from and placed within a refrigerator cabinet.

When the package is sealed, the free upper end of strip or web 19 extends upwardly through opening 18 and is sandwiched between the undersurface of closure flap 17 r quickly without :elawqbarrd.

URE 1.

anditopiwall 1 s, as indicated by the numeral 24 in FIG 7 Thus, to extract bacon from the package; 'a. W r housewife simply withdraws the sealingtape, if any; lifts and folds-backthe cover flap into the position shown in 'F-IGURE '2; andfthereafter pulls the exposed end of the V web -19 upwardly through opening ls. fiAsthisis done, 7 the web within the container unfolds and the bacon strips areextracted, 'oneby one, through the central opening 18 (FIGURES-2 and 3 When the desired number ofbacon' slices have been withdrawn from the package upon the extracted"weh,wthehousewife then simply cuts or. tears'the 'web, leavingya short portion ,of it exposed beyond the opening and sandwiched between the cover flap'and the top wall. Since *only the desired 'number' of slices requir'ed'fort a particular serving are exposed at any one time, the problems arising from oxidation and flavor loss 7 of itheTpa'ckaged food product, as well' as spoilage and itself to form a series of horiz ntal poekets fagingin opposite directions, a plurality pf bacon slices each disposed in one of said pockets and being arranged in stacked relation with the other of said slices, portions of said strip thereby separating adjacent bacofi slices ofsaid stack from each other, and a container 'enclosing: said slices and strip and having a .centrally'disposed opening in a top A Wall thereof, said strip having an upper end adapted to be pulled upwardly from said container; through said open- 7 ing for unfolding saidstrip and'for withdrawing said bacon slices from said container one v by one while at the'same time peeling theuudersurfaceof said strip as it is' unfolded away from the slices of saidstack therebelow;

2. The structure of claim -1 in which :said container is rectangular in shape and is'formed from board material. 3. The structure of claim 1 in which retarding elements 1 are provided within said-container for engagingsaid strip ansferenceofjflavors to other foods stored within a re frigerator; -are greatly reduced.

Since opening '18 is disposed intermediate the ends of the container," extraction of the =web'throughthat opening 7 7 results ina horizontal peeling action occurring alternately at' opposite ends ofthepackage.

For-example, as the free end of strip or web 19 isipulled beyond the position illustrate'd in FIGURE 3, the top fold otthe web'shown at the left "of FIGUR-E 3' will be pulled inwardly in a'generally "tion promotes effective separation of the non-porous web readily peeled'apart and separated over the full range of refrigeration temperatures at which bacon is ordinarily stored. If desired, a rubber band'maybe placed about the entirefstack of interleaved bacon "slices along'the line indicated by the'num'eral in FIGURE 3 toinsure propfer horizontal fpeeling :action as the web is extracted. However, it has been found'that the extraction of the web a bottom, side and end 'walls of rectangular shape; a stack of and for controlling the sequential unfolding thereof as said end of said strip is withdrawn from said container.

4. The structure of claim '1 in which said container is provided with a cover flap adapted to be folded'over said top wall'fo'r closing said opening;

'5 A bacon package comprising a container having top,

bacon slices within said container; said slices being'interleaved by an elongated narrow 'strip of flexible sheet mahorizontal direction causing the web to be released from f the projection of the retarding element and further cau's "ing the undersurface of the web to be peeled away from r the top surfaceof the bacon slice disposeddirectly'th'ere- "below. lthas been found that this horizontal-peeling ac-j from slices disposed directly beneath it and that theloca'l vizati'on or applied pullingforce permits the slices to be terial extending .back and forth in alternating opposite directions between the surfaces of adjacent slices of said "stack, said'top wall'of said container being provided with an opening disposed intermediate the opposite ends of said slices for the drawing therethroug'h of said strip and the -food'slic es carried thereby, whereby, as said strip is pulled upwardly through said opening to remove from said container' the slice carried upon the upper surface thereof,

the undersurface "of said strip peels away from the bacon slice disposed directly therebeneath, said container being provided with retarding elements along the inner surfaces and the withdrawal of bacon; slices'are eifected'smoothly 1 While in'theforegoingI haVe'discIOsed 'anembodiment oft'he presentinvention in'considerab'le detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many *of 'the'se details maybe varied'without tiep'a'rtiirgfrom the spirit and th'e scope *of the invention; 7

"I"cl2;i1 n: 'f M *1. A 'ba'c'on packagecompr ising anarrow strip of .flex- 'i'bl'e non p'orous sheetmaterial folded back and'forth upon the necessity of providing 'such. an

of said end wallsfor engaging'said strip at the ends of said slices *to restrain upward movement and withdrawal of more than one slice at a time from said container.

1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Feb. 28, 1934 

1. A BACON PACKAGE COMPRISING A NARROW STRIP OF FLEXIBLE NON-POROUS SHEET MATERIAL FOLDED BACK AND FORTH UPON ITSELF OF FORM A SERIES OF HORIZONTAL POCKETS FACING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, A PLURALITY OF BACON SLICES EACH DISPOSED IN ONE OF SAID POCKETS AND BEING ARRANGED IN STACKED RELATION WITH THE OTHER OF SAID SLICES, PORTIONS OF SAID STRIP THEREBY SEPARATING ADJACENT BACON SLICES OF SAID STACK FROM EACH OTHER, AND A CONTAINER ENCLOSING SAID SLICES AND STRIP AND HAVING A CENTRALLY-DISPOSED OPENING IN A TOP WALL THEREOF, SAID STRIP HAVING AN UPPER END ADAPTED TO BE PULLED UPWARDLY FROM SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID OPENING FOR UNFOLDING SAID STRIP AND FOR WITHDRAWING SAID BACON SLICES FROM SAID CONTAINER ONE BY ONE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PEELING THE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID STRIP AS IT IS UNFOLDED AWAY FROM THE SLICES OF SAID STACK THEREBELOW. 